The Hope pioneer., 1887-01-14
WOMAN AND HOME.
HOW A 16-YEAR-oLD GIRLS EYES
WERE OPENED.

The Right to Remain Single-Tea and
Coffee-Women's Clubs-Habit of Conn
plaining-Coming woman-Mrs. Lang
try's Complexion-Hints and Helps.
At 16 could paint a rose or lily so like the
genuine flowers that they themselves might
have been deceived by my portrayals and
have taken them for their own pretty refiec-
tions In q stream or mirror. And in music
! had so mastered the intricacics even of
Beethoven that played one of his sonatas all
through ut public recital. But never had
swept a room in my life, and if any one had
asked mo why eggs were used in cooking
might perhaps have been obtuso enough to
answer, "For sweetcning purposes" And
glorled i'll my ignorance, considering it
"bliss," until one day in summer, when my
eyes wero opened wider than they ever were
before
My parents had gono away for day or
two, taking tho chambern,aid with them, and
Immediately after their departure the cook
went to bed sick I was not much disturbed,
however, as there was plenty of cooked food
in the house. But about noon, when was
practising the scales, and my fingers were
scampering like white mice from one end of
tue piano to the other merry laugh inter-
rupted my exertions, and turning my head,
all Lrstling with huirpins for evening beau
tiiiers, l saw my cousin Charley and two
other youths from college. always called
Charley my cousin, although the relationship
was a little indistinct his elder half sister
having married my uncle.
Jenny" ho said, "weve come to dinner as
hungry as three bears"
"Oh dear!" gasped, "there's no one here
but me, and don't know how to get din
ner. But there's cold meat and bread"
Cant we have u steak, Jenny" he in
quired, land baked potatoes and collect We'll
nll help"
"Well," Irejoined, "come into the kitchen,
but you'll have to make fire first"
ave can do it," was the merry reply,
1Tom's tho philosopher"
"And you're tho"-
"No inpertinence," Charley retorted, "but
we'll soon liave a fire."
We did, and, getting the potatoes, was
putting them right into the oven when MY
cousin asked in @ stage whisper, Jenny,
Jenny, mint you going to wash them flrsts"
My cheeks burned, and taking them to the
sink ] gave them such scrubbing as po-
tatocs never received before.
"Charley,",I whispered, "shall l wash the
stcak2"
IF you choose, DEAR" he answered, shut
wouldn't use soap. Now where's the ground
coffcc?"
I did not know any more about 1t than il
had lived in Jupiter or Venus, but tho boys
nose lei him right to tho spot. and SOON the
coffee was boiling and the steak broiling in
an appetizing way. I placed the meat upon
n dish, and was intcnding7to leave it thus in
"beauty unadorncd," when one Of my visitors
suggested timidly: "Excuse me, but don't
you put little something on itl Lard or
butter or somcthinga"
"Not lard" Charley interposed, "Grcat
Scott! butter, salt and pepper, Jenny, are the
usual ingredients"
Eiushing moro furlously than even 1 ap-
pliesl the desired articles, and the dinner was
really very good. We had q merry time, but
when my cousin said good.by he added
"You're a dear, jolly girl, Jenny, but if
wero you I'd learn how to cook. Il would
look better, don't you linowl''
Yes, did know, and was not silly enough
to take offense. I took the hint instead, and
so etfectually that three months afterwards,
when my adviser came to visit U.S. sent tho
cook out of the kitchen and got the dinner
myself, unassisted, and Charley whispered
but no matter what he whispered. That was
several years ago, and now he sits opposite to
me at the table three times day."-Good
Housekeeping.